Sunday, June 30, 2013

Nikto
was another of Jabba’s many generic bodyguards during the events of
ROTJ, although it should be noted that Nikto is the name of the
species and not an individual. There were at least three distinct
ones during the events of the movie, and the figure is based on only
one.

Nikto came with the same “battle staff” that Barada
and Yak Face (not released in the U.S.) came with. He also came on
both an ROTJ card and a POTF card (rarer), which seems like kind of a
cheat for Kenner since there were probably more deserving
characters for the POTF line than this one.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:1. The whole Klaatu, Barada, Nikto thing (see below).

2. If you’re lucky enough to get the Tatooine Skiff (very rare), than you have to get this figure.

3. That Sarlacc Pitt isn’t going to feed itself you know.

4. Necessary for your Jabba diorama for 1st grade show and tell.

5. Necessary for the Jabba diorama you try to hide from potential girlfriends.

Backstory:

Niktos
are from the planet Kintan, which was bombarded by radiation from a
nearby dying star. This caused more rapid evolution than normal, so
there are at least 5 genetically-compatible subspecies existing on
the planet. They all have the leathery skin and little facial
muscles in common however.

About 25,000 years
before the Battle of Yavin, the Hutts discovered the Niktos, living
in fear because of the rise of a cult. The Hutts eradicated the
cult, earning the loyalty of the Niktos. For the next 25,000 years
the Niktos had little involvement in the galaxy as a whole because
of their dedication to the Hutts, including Jabba who employed
several up until his death.

Nikto's name came from the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" said in the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Nien
Nunb is one of those figure no one seems to know what to do with.
Do I take Han and Chewbacca out of the seats of the Millennium
Falcon and put Lando and Nien in, or do I let it be? If not, what
else do I do with him? Have him celebrate in the Ewok Village
afterwards?

Nien came with a blaster
pistol - the same one as the Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot. He only
came on an ROTJ card, since he really wasn't POTF-worthy. He has no
problem fitting into the cockpit of the Falcon, mainly because it
was built for a Wookiee. Nien was originally offered as a mail-away,
but like all the other mail-aways from the original line he was
eventually put on his own card.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Make up your own subtitles for what he says to Lando: "Your general's cape really shows your feminine side."

2. Re-create the scenes where he keeps telling people he's not related to the other Sullustan in the Rebellion.

3. That blue vest so accentuates that red jumpsuit.

4. He's got balls for adjusting Chewie's seat.

5. At least he didn't start wearing clothing he found in the Falcon right away, like Lando did at the end of ESB.

Backstory:

Nien
worked for the SoruSuub corporation until they joined with the
Empire, then he began stealing and smuggling from them. He eventually
hooked up with Lando, who later brought him into the Rebllion riding
shotgun in the Falcon while making the run on the second Death
Star. His home planet is Sullust, and he has one sister named Aril.
Lando later had him runnign spice operations on Kessel.

In
ROTJ, he was actually a puppet, and not a small person in a
costume. That's why he was so articulated. He was voiced by a
student from Kenya who just used his native language of Haya.

Friday, June 28, 2013

MTV,
eh? The release of the MTV-7 was in 1981. MTV the network started
August 1, 1981. Coincidence? Who copied who? The world may never
know, but I do know this: the MTV-7 has as much relevance to music as
the other MTV does today. Go ahead – try to find a video on there.

MTV
stands for “multi-terrain vehicle.” Pretty generic, but it is a nifty
little mini-rig from ESB. It
is a one-man (or woman – sorry Leia) cockpit with a rotating
blaster on the front, two roller wheels and springs that allow you
to lower and raise the cockpit in relation to the ground. If you
pushed it down and let go fast you could make it jump a little bit.

Realistically,
the “tires” would be pretty crappy on real snow and ice, but it’s a toy
so I’ll let that slide. It was a cute little vehicle (yeah, you want
all your Star Wars toys to be cute) and cheap, so enjoy!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

The
MLC-3 is supposed to stand for “Mobile Laser Cannon” and was one of
Kenner’s many mini-rigs. It maneuvers on treads (wheels) and has
two laser cannons that move in tandem, up and down. The cockpit has a
transparent bubble to see through. Basically, it looks like a
small, white tank.

Why should you own this vehicle? Five reasons:
1. C’mon – how many tanks can you get from the Star Wars universe?

2. Small, cheap, fits a figure.

3. Two large-ish guns! Yeah!

4. With that bubble, looks a lot like some retro-future design that would look great as a decoration.

5. Could double as a G.I. Joe tank for Snow Job.

Backstory:

Never
seen in the films (because Kenner made it up) but it can probably
be considered part of the Star Wars universe. It did appear in an
issue of the Marvel Star Wars comic. However, vehicles like this
would usually have repulsorlifts instead of treads, and “laser
cannons” are being generous. Guns this small in the SW universe are
usually blasters, and lasers are usually on larger things. It could
also be taken as just a lower tech vehicle that the Rebels had to
work with.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The
Millennium Falcon was one of the first “OH MY GOD MOM AND DAD I
HAVE TO HAVE THAT” Star Wars toys. It was a vehicle, but because of
its size it was also a playset. Most kids really need both hands to
fly it too – they need friends to “attack” it with TIE Fighters.

This vehicle had it all – let us count the ways:
- a lowering ramp
- lowering struts
- the top cover and cockpit cover came off to play inside it
- the cockpit still fit two figures in it alone (yeah, I know, in the film it seats 4)
- top quad guns with a connected gunner’s chair
- rotating radar dish
- electronic sounds (not really movie authentic, but SOUNDS!)
- a Jedi training ball
- smuggler panels to hide figures in
- an actual dejarik table (the space chess thing)

I
originally got the Falcon from a garage sale, and despite some
missing pieces (everyone seems to lose the Jedi training ball) I
deemed it awesome.

The Falcon came out in SW, ESB,
and ROTJ boxes, each time changing the picture to something
relevant. On the SW box, it was surrounded by stormtroopers. On the
ESB box (which dropped “Spaceship” from the name) it was a Cloud
City scene with appropriate figures. On the ROTJ box it appears to
be on Tatooine with characters from Jabba’s. It also has Nien Nunb
strangely enough. The Tatooine scene may be referring to a deleted
scene where the gang made it back to the Falcon during a sandstorm
on Tatooine.

This year, due to the old mold
breaking, Hasbro redid the Falcon for it's newest release. It is now
$200 retail (someplace like Target sells it for $150.00) and the
sucker is awesome. Not only do they fix it so the passenger
compartments are in the right place (instead if where the engine is
supposed to be), but it even has a med-bay - Fix Luke's severed
hand! It is 30% larger and comes with Han and Chewie! Check out this
video tour of it here.

Why should you own this vehicle? Five reasons:

1. All those cool features listed above.

2. It is the ultimate showpiece: everyone recognizes what you have displayed, you don’t have to explain it.

3. It’s the Falcon, man. It made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs!

4. You can fly the thing, or just have Chewbacca fix it with tools from the Vehicle Maintenance Energizer.

5. Vehicle and playset. Ooooh, yeah.

Backstory:

The
Falcon started life as a Correlian Engineering Corporation built
YT-1300 stock light freighter. It was about 60 years old by the Battle
of Yavin, even appearing in Revenge of the Sith (in the scene where
they crash land on Coruscant). It was damaged sometime after and
was heavily rebuilt by an enterprising technician. It was stolen by a
pirate, and eventually won in a sabacc tournament by Lando
Calrissian about five years before the Battle of Yavin. Later, Han
Solo won it from Lando in another game of sabacc, and used it for
smuggling. He was boarded by Imperials shortly before the Battle of
Yavin and had to jettison his cargo for Jabba the Hutt. It was
instrumental in the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of Death
Star II.

It has many modifications, including
jamming equipment and faster engines. Armaments include a hidden
laser, a top and bottom quad laser cannon, and concussion missile
launchers (which took out the second Death Star). The Falcon is still
serving as primary transport for Solo and family in the novels.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Lumat,
just like Warok (what do you mean all Ewoks look alike? What are
you racist?), came with a bow, a quiver, and a cowl. He also came on
both ROTJ and POTF cards. By this time I don’t think I need to tell
you which one is rarer. He was not a prominent Ewok in the movies,
so I can’t just say “he was the one who…” It doesn’t really matter
with Star Wars figures, however, since many of the characters made
into figures did not have any lines, or were on screen for about 15
seconds.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:
1. Own a piece of history as they change his origin! (see the Wookieepedia entry)

5. You’ve got serious Ewok fever, and it can only be quenched with…Lumat!

Backstory:

Lumat
was the chief woodcutter for the Ewok tribe. In the movies he was
just one of many background characters. The Customizable Card Game
now shows Lumat as a different Ewok, with stripes. No word yet on if
this figure will ever be redone in the new line, and if it will be
the original grey or stripes. Do we really care?

Monday, June 24, 2013

That
orange jumpsuit, those beady eyes, it could only be…Luke? The X-Wing
outfit was the first costume change we get to see of a character, but
Luke’s face is quite generic - it could be most other X-Wing pilots.
His eyes remind me of a lot of old comic strips, like Little Orphan
Annie. Beady little eyes.

Luke
comes with the same blaster pistol that Han came with, and his
uniform which actually has quite a few good details from the original
movie costume. This figure came on SW, ESB, ROTJ, and POTF cards. For
the ESB card it was renamed to Luke Skywalker: (X-Wing Pilot); for
ROTJ and POTF it was Luke Skywalker (X-Wing Fighter Pilot). Big distinctions here.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. If you were a stickler like me, this was the only figure that could fly your X-Wing.

2. Those eyes. Like the old Shazam! comics or something. Creepy.

3. No other figure besides Walrus Man gives you quite the orange as this one.

4.
Recreate that scene where the X-Wing cockpit flies open mid-flight
and Luke spills out to his death in space. Oh, wait, that was
just in my living room.

5. Recreate the other scene where Luke switches off his targeting computer:

“Luke, you’ve switched off your targeting computer. What the f*** are you doing?”

“It’s okay, I’m alright.”

“What?
What are you talking about? Look, I’m on a planet about to be f***ing
blown up! Do you want that? Huh, do you want me vaporized?”

“I’m going in.”

“Listen you hayseed – I’ve been in the Rebellion longer than you. You show me some respect!”

“I’ve got one on my tail!”

“I don’t care if there’s a giant space slug with your leg in its mouth – you switch your f***ing computer on right now!”

“Torpedos away!”

“You son of a…”

Backstory:

X-Wing
pilots have a long and varied history of wearing orange, ever since
Lance Lightloafer designed one during the third season of Galactic
Project Runway. But seriously, the designers on the original film
put together uniforms that looked pilot-like. I just wish they had made
a different uniform for Y-Wing pilots – new figure! If you want Luke’s
backstory, here's his Wookieepedia entry. Here's the entry on the X-Wing.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

This
figure is all over the place, despite having only been on ROTJ and POTF
cards. First the lightsaber was blue, then it was green (the accurate
color). There are slight color variations in the robe, and how it was packaged with the figure. The robe also came in a sewn or snap collar. The
salient facts are that this figure came with a removable robe, a
blaster (the one he Force-pulled from a Jabba’s guard’s hand), and a
lightsaber.

This was the time to
get Luke – he was finally a true badass. As you watched ROTJ for the
first time you thought, “Mother-puss-bucket – he’s actually hitting
blaster bolts!” “He’s using Jedi mind tricks!” “WTF!” He’s also
wearing black – like Johnny Cash.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. The aforementioned man in black. Forget Vader, this Luke comes with more accessories.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

For the figures that only came out on POTF cards, Luke came out the best. He got both Poncho Lukeand this figure. Reaching back to the original film, Kenner made a Luke dressed as Stormtrooper with
a removable helmet. Not only that, but his neck could turn! Sure,
today this is not a big deal, but back then we were used to Stormtroopers with no-move necks, and we liked it!

As
previously mentioned, this figure only came out on a POTF card, and
came with a standard-issue Stormtrooper blaster rifle and helmet.
The helmet didn’t exactly “click” on so you weren't confident enough to
hold it upside down, but it would do.

Why should you buy this figure? Five reasons:

1.
To tell Kenner to keep making figures like this, so eventually you can
get a Han in Stormtrooper outfit. Or they can just take your money.

2. Goes great with the Death Star Playset you bought years earlier and your little brother now plays with.

3. More specifically, goes great in the trash compacter in the Death Star Playset.

4. Now you can finally have Leia utter the line, “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”

5. Luke just looks good in white.

Backstory:

Luke and Han (with Chewie’s help) took out a couple of stormtroopers and wore their armor.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Now,
the fact that this figure is in “Hoth Battle Gear” is actually
misleading. If you watch The Empire Strikes Back, Luke is never actually
in a battle per se with this gear on. In fact, the most violent he
gets is cutting off a wampa’s arm while fleeing from it.
Technically, the only battle gear he uses on Hoth is his X-Wing
uniform while in the snowspeeder. If you wan to get anal about it.

Luke
wears a rather standard Rebel cold weather jacket. Molded onto his
figure (and unmovable) are goggles and macrobinoculars. His scarf is
molded on open. He comes with a standard Rebel blaster rifle, but,
and this is key, he never actually uses that in the movie. What he
uses – while in this outfit – is a lightsaber. Yet he doesn’t come
with one. Hmm. This figure came in ESB and ROTJ logo packaging.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:
1. You got the wampa, now baby needs someone to swipe at.

2. You also got the tauntaun with open belly. Who else is going in that thing?

3. There is a lot of white Hoth-related stuff, and it all needs to be manned somehow.

4. Recreate the scene where Obi-Wan talks to Luke. Then does…nothing.

5. Someone has to go check out that latest meteorite strike. Dork.

Backstory:

I’ll refer to the Wookieepedia article
for the whole backstory. However, I will say that Luke gets put
into a bacta tank for his recovery after the wampa attack. The tank
was actually made into a playset in the current line (but not the
vintage).

Thursday, June 20, 2013

What
do you bring to wear when you're meeting an acclaimed Jedi Master?
Why your best brown, of course! Like Han and Leia, Luke is afforded
many a change of outfit throughout the trilogy (sorry Chewie!). This
outfit, which we actually see first on Dagobah then on
Bespin, has a lot of pockets for all your survival needs. You will
also notice that a deactivated lightsaber is hanging from Luke's
utility belt.

This Luke comes with a
lightsaber (in yellow, and not the true blue) and a the same blaster
pistol that Han carries. The figure has a variation in the hair
coloring - it got darker blonde later in its run. Bespin Luke came
on two ESB cards (they changed the background photo) and an ROTJ
card.

I'll refer you to the Wookieepedia article for Luke's full story,
and just add that in this outfit he not only gets trained by a Jedi
Master, he also fights one and loses his hand. Keep this outfit for
nostalgia, man!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Seriously? “Battle Poncho?” This is, in all probability, the only time you will associate battles with ponchos.
Han gets a cool trenchcoat on Endor, and Luke gets a effeminate battle
poncho. It’s for camouflage, but who doesn’t want to look cool while
trying to infiltrate a secret Imperial shield bunker?

BP Luke comes with the same pistol (molded in black) as Jedi Luke does, and a cloth poncho with a utility belt to cinch it. His
helmet is not removable, but under the poncho is the same black
outfit as the Jedi Luke figure (when I do the Jedi Luke posting I’ll
retroactively link it here). Where is the frickin’ lightsaber? I mean, really, he cuts a speeder bike in half while it’s flying! BP Luke comes only on a POTF card.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. The only chance to get a Luke figure without a lightsaber. Wait. That’s no reason…

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Not
much I can say here that most people don’t already know. This is
the original Luke in his Tatooine clothes - how he looked throughout
most of the first movie. This figure came on cards for all three
movies, including another ROTJ card with a different background
picture (he’s seated at the control of a Millennium Falcon quad-gun).
His only accessory is a built-in lightsaber, which Kenner
inexplicably made yellow, instead of the blue hue it was in the film.
Maybe to differentiate it from the Obi-Wan’s lightsaber which was
also blue. His hair was sometimes yellow, sometimes a light brown.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. C’mon! He’s the main character of the original trilogy!

2. Simulate the whining! “But I wanted to go to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!”

3. For my money there is no finer pilot…of the Landspeeder.

4. Have him fight Darth Vader! I know I did – even though they barely even saw each other in the original film.

5. Have your Han figure bitch-slap him for complaining all the time. “This ain’t like dusting crops boy! Now STFU!”

Backstory:

Born in Revenge of the Sith,
raised by his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru on blue milk, joined the
Rebel Alliance, overthrew the Empire, killed his dad, and became a
Jedi Knight. In the novels, after the movies, he eventually marries a
fellow Jedi named Mara Jade (who used to work for the Emperor) and
they had a son named Ben. He had many adventures which are too
numerous to go into here.

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Simple - we put up an action figure a day. If you subscribe to us, a vintage Star Wars action figure / vehicle goes to your RSS reader daily. How much more nostalgia could you want? Remember to click on the pictures to see them up-close and full-size!